Lavender, the varieties of which number more than a dozen, belongs to the perennial decorative dwarf shrubs. It is a popular plant for landscape decoration in European countries, especially in Italy and France. To transfer a beautiful part of Provence to your summer cottage, you can plant the culture in the form of an edging of a garden path or a small flower bed.
Growing lavender (lat.Lavandula) on your site is quite within the power of even a novice gardener, and a flower bed or mixborder of various varieties will create an amazing play of lilac and purple shades on your site.
Site selection and soil preparation for lavender
Choice suitable place planting for lavender is the key to the successful development of the plant and its lush bloom... Lavender loves the sun very much, so to create a flower bed, you should choose a place that is not shaded by trees and buildings.
Soil preparation
The culture is not demanding on the content of minerals, but does not like wet and heavy soil. The composition of light sandstone or sandy loam is well suited. If the soil is heavy, in preparation for planting lavender, it is mixed with river sand 1 to 1.
If the groundwater on the site runs close to the surface, it is necessary to organize a drainage layer of expanded clay, broken brick and sand to drain water. When preparing a flower bed, it is important to take into account the acidity of the soil - recommended from 6.5 to 8 pH. If not, you can add ash or a little lime, which are good deoxidizers.
The best lavender varieties to plant
There are two large groups of lavender varieties: French and English.
French lavender (lat.Lavandula stoechas) capricious, delicate plant with wide green leaves and shortened inflorescences. It is applied for home growing in pots. Temperatures below minus 15 degrees Celsius can kill her.
English lavender became widespread among gardeners, planting and care in the Moscow region and middle lane Russia for which it is possible in the open field. English lavender (lat.Lavandula angustifolia) is known by other names: narrow-leaved lavender, medicinal, real. Differs in long spikelets of inflorescences and narrow leaves. Among gardeners, varieties of narrow-leaved lavender are popular: Munstead, Hidcote Giant, Alba, Ellegance Sky.
Reproduction of lavender and planting in open ground
When planting an adult lavender bush in open ground, it should be borne in mind that the plant does not tolerate transplanting well. Before transplanting, the plant should be watered abundantly so that it is easier to remove the clod of earth from the pot and not damage the root system. It is recommended to plant plants at a distance of at least half a meter.
The plant reproduces well by layering and cuttings, which are planted at the same distance, without deepening the root collar. After planting in open ground with cuttings or layering, it is imperative to create greenhouse conditions by covering with a film and regularly moistening the ground.
Planting seedlings of lavender when propagated by seeds is carried out in May - early June. The rest of the reproduction methods (layering, cuttings, dividing the bush) are carried out in two stages - preparation and planting. In this case, planting in a permanent place is carried out in the second half of summer and autumn.
An affordable and easy way to obtain seedlings for a large number bushes is the propagation of lavender cuttings. At the beginning of summer, 8-10 cm stems are cut, which are then rooted in water or soil prepared from a mixture of peat and sand.
In greenhouse conditions, rooting is faster, and after a month, the seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent place. Young bushes bloom in the first year, but it is advisable to remove the inflorescences so that the plant has time to grow as much green mass as possible over the summer and does not waste energy on the formation of flowers.
Propagation of lavender by layering
The method of propagation of lavender by layering is good because you do not need to injure the bush by digging and damaging its root system. For layering, a young flexible branch growing from the edge of the bush is chosen, near which it is necessary to dig a shallow furrow.
The branch is deflected 15-20 cm away from the plant and bent in such a way that its main part fits into the furrow, and its end with leaves and a flower remains above ground level. To prevent the branch from springing, it is fixed with a hairpin made of wire or a stone, then the part of the branch buried in the soil is covered with earth.
You can dig up a daughter plant only after it has young shoots and it is best to do this in cool weather in early autumn.
Reproduction of lavender by dividing the bush
Preparation of the bush for division begins in the fall, and the procedure itself is performed a year after that. The lavender bush is cut to a height of 10 cm and huddled, while the earth is covered between the stems.
In the spring of the next year and during the summer, the plant will give numerous shoots around the bush. In the fall, the plant is dug up and divided using a sharp tool - a shovel or a scoop, after which the sections are processed garden pitch or sprinkled with crushed coal. Prepared seedlings are planted in permanent places.
Growing lavender from seeds at home
Lavender, propagated by seeds, is quite capricious when grown. This method is rarely chosen for the preparation of planting material, since seedlings grown from seeds will bloom only a year after planting.
Before sowing, lavender seeds must be stratified. This can be done at home by placing the seeds in artificial cold, or in the fall, sowing seeds in the ground. But unstable low temperatures in natural conditions can destroy seeds, so it is better to use the first method.
For stratification at home, seeds are mixed with fine dry sand and poured into a container or cup. Next, the container is placed in plastic bag and put on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 40-45 days. After that, the seeds are sown together with the sand in a seedling box or greenhouse.
After going through the stratification procedure, lavender, the cultivation of which from seeds at home has been completed, can be sown in open ground under a film, in a seedling box or a greenhouse.
Sowing in open ground is possible only in spring, at a constant air temperature plus 20 degrees Celsius, otherwise the plant will not have time to develop enough and will freeze with the onset of winter, despite the shelter.
Growing lavender outdoors
Lavender, planted according to all the rules, in prepared soil and on sunny place, not demanding in care. It is important to control soil moisture to prevent waterlogging and ensure good drainage.
Watering lavender
Watering should be moderate: lavender tolerates drought well, but does not tolerate waterlogging and waterlogging. Therefore, the flowerbed should be watered only when the soil dries up, but in no case should it be poured. Enough 5 liters of water for an adult bush in 1-2 dry weeks. After flowering, lavender is not watered at all.
Soil mulching
Mulching for lavender is undesirable, since mulch helps to retain moisture in the soil and prevents the respiration of the plant roots. Therefore, when creating decorative dumps or a mulch layer, it is necessary to leave the soil around the bush open and loosen it 1-2 times during the summer, providing oxygen access to the roots of the plant.
Feeding lavender with fertilizers
Lavender grown outdoors requires two-step feeding. In the spring, the bushes are watered with the following composition: 1 tbsp. a spoonful of urea is dissolved in 10 liters of water, this portion is enough for two adult plants (5-6 liters per bush).
At the beginning of the flowering period, fertilizing is carried out with Agricola or Agricola fertilizer - a fantasy. They are bred in a proportion of 2 tbsp. spoons per 10 liters of water, consumption for each bush 3-4 liters of mixture.
Pest control
Lavender in the garden, planting and care in Russia
Caring for lavender in the conditions of central Russia and colder climatic zones consists in timely pruning and sheltering the plant from freezing. The procedure is necessary to maintain the neat shape of the bush. If you do not prune, the lower part of the stems is exposed, and the plant takes on a knotty, not well-groomed appearance. Bare stems freeze easily at low temperatures or strong winds.
In the south of Russia, the shortening of shoots can be done in the fall by removing the peduncles and the two upper pairs of leaves. In the conditions of a harsher winter, it is better to postpone pruning until spring - so the plant will be reliably covered from the cold with a snow cap and root system will not freeze.
You can additionally insulate the bush for the winter with spruce or pine branches. Shelter in the form of fallen leaves or compost is not recommended, as the plant may rot.
Growing lavender at home
Nowadays, it is very fashionable to decorate terraces, halls and living quarters with plants in floor pots and pots. It may well decorate the interior with lavender, home care for which consists in observing the rules of cultivation.
Growing conditions
The container for planting lavender should be at least 5 liters in volume. Since lavender perennial, it must be provided with a sufficient volume of soil for growth and development. At the bottom of the pot, it is necessary to create a drainage layer of expanded clay with a thickness of at least ¼ of the height of the pot.
Lavender, planting and caring for which at home is different from open ground, requires additional preparation of the soil before planting. Sand, peat and shells are added to the soil to obtain a light, breathable and nutritious composition for the roots of the plant.
The lavender pot should be in the lightest spot. With a lack of sunlight, you can use artificial lighting... Watering lavender should occur no more than once a week with warm, settled water - 0.5 liters per bush.
If lavender is grown at home, in winter time it needs sanitary pruning. In this case, you need to remove dry and broken branches, trim the crown without changing its shape. The plant should be moved to a cool, bright room, away from heating appliances.
Open ground transplant
Transplanting lavender from open ground into a pot should be done in early spring or late autumn. You can transplant a plant from a pot into open ground during the entire gardening season, carefully preserving an earthen lump.
At home, the plant will require more attention and better soil composition than growing lavender outdoors. However, this method significantly expands the geography of plant cultivation. Lavender is grown in pots or pots in the Urals and Siberia, planting and caring for which requires a consistently warm and long summer. Since when breeding in containers, they can be quickly removed indoors in case of frost.
How to properly prepare and dry lavender
Lavender is pruned when its spikelets are half-blooming and wilted. The largest number essential oils it is located in the calyxes of flowers that remain on the stem after flowering.
The tops of the stems 15-20 cm long are tied into small bouquets and hung down with inflorescences in a dark, dry place - in the pantry, in the attic. After 3-4 weeks, dried bouquets can be folded into linen bags and stored, for example, in a linen closet. Such storage has its advantages: lavender will scare away moths, give the linen a unique aroma of field herbs and will be perfectly preserved for future use.
Lavender is medicinal plant, therefore, the cut stems with flowers are preserved and used for various purposes. They can be added to baths to heal wounds, treat skin conditions, and provide freshness. The anti-stress effect of lavender essential oils is also known, for the manifestation of which fragrant bags of loose fabric, filled with lavender, are placed at the head of the bed during sleep.
In France, Italy and Spain, lavender is used as a condiment, adding it to dishes and sauces, as well as drinks.
Outcome
Lavender is a sophisticated and graceful flower that can be seen in any mixborder. Plants look best in strip planting along paths or terraces. The efforts put into its cultivation will be rewarded with lush lilac, purple or bright blue flower caps exuding a delicate aroma.
Lavender is familiar to many as an essential oil crop that has soothing properties and helps relieve headaches. An evergreen plant that requires an abundance of heat and light, in nature grows on Canary Islands, in India and the Mediterranean. This plant, which is successfully used in medicine, cosmetology, interior decoration, is especially popular in domestic open spaces.
The endurance of lavender, the ability to withstand heat and frost make it possible to grow such a crop on an industrial scale.
Lavender: description
Lavender at home is an effective insecticide: planted in orchards and vegetable gardens, it repels pests. In particular, the plant is not tolerated by moths and Colorado beetles.
In gardens and flower beds, lavender creates a chic backdrop, highlighting the individuality of the rest of the plants. Its harmony with roses is gorgeous, as well as the combination of aromas of these two beautiful plants.
Outwardly, lavender, the cultivation of which is not particularly difficult, is a bush with an approximate diameter of 0.5 to 2 meters, with narrow, silvery leaves; flowers (from blue to dark purple) are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences. Dried twigs have a delicate, somewhat bitter aroma. In household use they are used as effective means against moths. They look harmoniously in "folk" interiors: chalets, provence, country.
IN Ancient Greece Lavender was used for washing and washing, which is the reason for its today's name: "lava" from Latin means "to wash".
Varieties of lavender
In nature, there are about 25 species of this plant.
Lavender is English or narrow-leaved. Has a strong fresh smell. The bush is about 1 meter in height and in diameter. Leaves are gray-green, narrow, small. The flowering period is in the middle of summer. Inflorescences are large, placed on long stems. The variety is quite easy to care for, adapted to low temperatures.
Lavender is French or broadleaf. Considered the ancestor decorative varieties... Has a wide range of colors. Flowering begins in May. The aroma is very strong, not always pleasant.
Hybrid Dutch lavender. Popular in Southern and Central Europe. Narrow-leaved tall (up to 2 meters) variety characterized by large inflorescences located on long stems. Blooms in July. It is widely used in industry.
Lavender toothed. The variety is thermophilic; in the conditions of the domestic climate is suitable only for indoor growing... Has silvery, soft leaves... The inflorescences are composed of large blue flowers.
Features of lavender care
Lavender at home takes time and some patience. The plant prefers sandy soil, direct sunlight, does not need frequent watering. In the shade, the plant will take root, however abundant flowering will not please. It is not recommended to plant lavender near bodies of water. Being a long-term plant, lavender needs pruning, the purpose of which is to form a beautiful lush crown plants. It is required to produce it in the fall (after wilting of the spikelets-inflorescences), shortening the bush to a height of 3-5 cm above the soil surface. Pruning should be done carefully, until woody shoots.
Lavender, which is not difficult to care for, needs constant loosening. This will provide good air circulation and get rid of nearby weeds. Also, the ground can be mulched, rotted foliage, needles or wood chips can be used as mulch. The soil should remain open near the base of the trunk, which will protect it from rotting.
The plant is transplanted in spring or autumn, during the dormant period, before the onset of cold weather. For the winter, it is recommended to cover lavender with spruce branches or needles. If the plant is still frozen, the dead parts should be cut off. The bush will recover quickly enough.
Lavender breeding methods
Lavender is cultivated in several ways: by seeds, layering, cuttings, dividing the bush. The seed growing method is little used due to its duration. Lavender seeds must be sown in a prepared container with sandy soil, moistened and left for 30-40 days; the recommended temperature for this is +5 o C. After this time period, it is recommended to transfer the box with seeds to a warm, bright place, where to wait for the first shoots to appear. Disembarkation is carried out in May.
Seed lavender will grow better if the seed is stratified. To do this, the seeds should be mixed with a certain amount of sand, placed in a container, which must be wrapped in polyethylene and placed in the refrigerator for a month and a half. This will ensure faster germination of the plant. At the end of this procedure, lavender seeds can be sown. That's the whole procedure.
Lavender at home, planted with seeds, will not bloom soon: at first, the seedlings will develop, grow the root system. The plant will be able to appear in all its beauty only after a year, or even two.
The method of propagation by layering is convenient and not laborious. It is required to prepare a groove near the bush, into which to bend several lower branches. The latter must be attached and covered with soil. By next spring, the layering is ready for independent existence, it only needs to be carefully trimmed on both sides, dug up and transplanted.
When grafting, it is recommended to use woody annual shoots. They need to be cut into pieces of 7-10 cm and immersed in a loose earthy mixture, covered with a film and constantly moisten the soil. Rooted branches must be carefully dug out, leaving an earthen lump on the roots, and transplanted to a permanent place of growth.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
The method of propagation of lavender by dividing the bush requires some preparation. In autumn, the plant must be cut off by 8-10 cm, and then sprinkled with earth. Sprinkle again in the spring: this will lead to the formation of numerous shoots. In the fall, the lavender bush will be completely ready for division.
New lavender bushes are planted depending on the size of the latter; the approximate distance is 0.5-1.5 meters between each other.
Lavender in a pot is beautiful, it is fragrant, it is unusual! Growing such a culture indoors is somewhat more difficult than in the open field. In this case, compliance with the temperature regime and careful care will be important components of its high-quality growth. Indoor specimen of lavender is an order of magnitude smaller than its street compatriot, which does not detract from its decorative effect.
Lavender: home cultivation
So, to grow lavender at home, you will need a deep and wide container due to the massiveness of the plant's root system. The bottom of the pot should be covered with a layer of drainage; the soil for planting is recommended to be soft and well fertilized. Moreover, lavender does not like organic and nitrogen fertilizers; good growth she will be provided with potassium-containing dressings. Mineral preparations are recommended to be applied to the root area during flowering. The most optimal soil composition is as follows: 3 parts of leafy soil, part of sand and two parts of humus. Sandy soil with added lime will create ideal conditions for the growth of lavender.
Potted lavender prefers cool, sunny locations. It will feel most comfortable on a terrace, a cool balcony, with outside window.
Watering the plant
It is enough to water the plant once a week (in the morning or in the evening), in the cool season - twice a month, using additional air humidification. To form a lush crown, it is recommended to water it mostly on the green part of the plant. Water stagnation should not be allowed, otherwise the lavender at home will simply die.
Lavender is the flower that many associate with French Provence... Therefore, most gardeners grow lavender in order to get at least a little bit in this stunning place. This flower has its own characteristics that must be taken into account when growing and nursing outdoors. And then lavender will look luxurious, smell great and delight you every day.
Lavender varieties
Lavender belongs to ornamental garden and park plants. It is an evergreen shrub with small flowers that gather in single spikelets. Such a plant begins to bloom at the end of summer. His homeland is the Mediterranean. The shrub is unpretentious to the soil, frost-resistant, very fond of light and moisture. Flowers can be purple, white, blue and lilac shades. It doesn't matter where the gardener lives, in St. Petersburg or in the regions of Siberia, you can plant and care for lavender everywhere.
Today, there are more than 30 varieties of lavender. They all differ in color, shape, height. The most popular types:
Narrow-leaved lavender
This species is also called in another way "English", "medicinal", "spikelet". It reaches 1 meter in height and width. The height of the peduncle is about 80 centimeters. Flowering teaches for June-July. It blooms with small flowers, which are collected in a brush. This type includes different varieties: Alba (white), Beachwoodblue (blue), Rose (pink), Jim and Hydecoat (purple). It is very difficult to grow and care for such a lavender variety in the Moscow region, since the conditions are very far from those of the Crimean ones.
Dutch lavender
The bushes are up to 2 meters wide. The plant blooms for a limited amount of time - only in July. Famous varieties: Grosso, Saviers, Arabain Knight, Richard Gray.
Jagged lavender
The leaves of this species are silvery, carved, and the flowers are large enough. The bush itself is very dense, reaching a height of only 30 centimeters. Usually this kind is grown at home, and such lavender becomes a houseplant.
French lavender
The bushes are voluminous, reaching a height of 1.3 meters. The leaves are large and the flowers are small. This type is very often chosen by designers to decorate hedges or borders along paths.
Many gardeners who live in Leningrad region are often planted and groomed for lavender. And any of the aforementioned species will grow well in this part of Russia.
Seed planting
Despite the fact that lavender is considered unpretentious plant, the process of planting by seeds is not the easiest one. This method can only be used if you do not have the opportunity to buy seedlings for planting lavender. Lavender seeds must be stratified. Under the influence of low temperature and moisture, the seeds swell and then germinate better. This procedure can also boost immunity and protect against winter period from sharp changes temperature.
After that, you need to plant the seeds in a container. After a week, the container must be covered with glass or plastic wrap and put in a warm room. Do not forget to moisten the soil with a spray bottle. Sprouts will gradually appear. The room temperature should range from 15 to 22 degrees Celsius. In this room, lavender will grow stronger until spring.
When the weather improves, the frosts will pass, and the soil warms up, the plants can be transplanted into open ground to a permanent place. Just don't count on blooming in the same year. Lavender will need almost a season to develop its root system and build up leaf mass.
Planting by cuttings
The simplest and in an easy way reproduction is considered to be cuttings. The procedure itself is no different from grafting other crops. You need to do the following:
- Cutting down sharp knife one-year escape;
- Cut it into cuttings;
- Prepare a suitable soil for them;
- Make a depression and plant 2-3 centimeters in the ground;
- Cover the seedling with foil and create a greenhouse;
- Water the plant in moderation regularly.
The cuttings take root very quickly. Then it will only be necessary to plant the lavender in the chosen permanent place in the garden, but at the same time, the planting scheme must be observed.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
Many gardeners have shrubs that have been growing for several years, so they can resort to propagation such as dividing the bush. To do this, you need to do the following:
- Choose a strong and healthy bush;
- Cut off the upper shoots in the summer;
- Till the ground near the shoots;
- In the fall, you need to dig up the lavender and carefully divide it into two parts. This should be done with minimal damage to the root system;
- Separated plants should be planted in open ground on the same day.
Plant care
When caring for lavender, first of all pay attention to watering. This is especially important for young plants. While the seedling is getting used to its new location, it should be watered almost every two weeks.
On hot days, the bushes should be watered more often, that is, once a week. Do not overmoisten the shrub, because this is also dangerous for the plant.
As for feeding, this is very important aspect in the cultivation of garden lavender in the open field. It is carried out in several stages:
- In spring, lavender should be fed with nitrogen fertilizer. To do this, prepare a solution of 10 liters of water and 2 tablespoons of sodium humate. Each bush takes 5 liters of the resulting solution;
- The period of budding and flowering. At this point in the life of lavender, every 2-3 weeks, the bushes are fed with a complex fertilizer with the addition of potassium and phosphorus;
- It is imperative to prune immediately after flowering. In the fall, they do a rejuvenating procedure that prolongs the life of your plant. Young shrubs should be spud in autumn and spring.
Preparing for winter
Most hobbyists think that cutting lavender for the winter is not worth it, but they are wrong. This procedure must be done without fail. With each passing year, the stems of lavender become harder and thicker. And if you carry out timely pruning, this will help the lavender not only rejuvenate, but bloom more luxuriant and thicker. Lavender can be left unshorn, but then the stems will be vulnerable to frost and strong winds.
Pruning lavender for the winter is a snap. It is necessary to remove those branches that have already bloomed for two seasons. The stem of each plant consists of a woody part and a green one. For the winter, it is worth cutting off the green part in the place where the shoot is 3 centimeters higher than the stiff part. Thanks to this, lavender will be able to calmly survive the winter.
Lavender, like any other plant that grows in the open field, needs additional protection for the winter period. Shrubs can survive frosts down to -25 degrees. IN southern regions such measures will not be necessary, since there usually does not occur a strong drop in temperature. But many gardeners play it safe and cover the bushes with a thick layer of snow. Lavender in the Urals can also be planted, but do not forget to cover it for the winter.
If lavender grows in the middle lane, it must also be covered for the winter. Usually covered with wood or plywood box... You can also cover it with spruce branches. It is not recommended to insulate shrubs with fallen leaves or straw. Because of these two materials, the bushes begin to rot and rot.
Lavender (Lavandula) is a genus of ornamental herbaceous plants, the home of which is the Mediterranean, southern Europe. Lavender is grown in gardens with single bushes, decorated with plant borders, alpine slides, planted along hedges, paths, on open terraces. Lavender bushes look great among border roses, perennial herbs with bright green foliage up to 50 cm high.
In France, in the province of Provence, you can find huge plantations of lavender, which is grown on an industrial scale.
The natural habitat of the lavender plant is the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean, Spain, Italy and France. Fragrant shrubs and shrubs are common in the Alps, Greece, Algeria, Corsica and Sardinia. The plant is actively cultivated in the Caucasus and Kuban, in Moldova, Central Asia.
Lavender is a small (30 cm to 1 m) evergreen perennial shrub or a semi-shrub, belongs to the family Lamiaceae or Labiatae. The plant, such as basil, mint, sage, lemon balm, rosemary and other members of this family, is aromatic, widely used in the culinary and perfumery industry, folk medicine, aromatherapy.
The shrub has no central stem. On numerous branched shoots, densely covered with silvery-green foliage, inflorescences are formed, similar to spikelets, with flowers of white, pink, lilac, blue or purple color.
There are more than 20 types of lavender, from which many varieties have been derived. They differ in size and shape of bushes, color of flowers. The most widespread in home floriculture are two types of lavender.
- Narrow-leaved (aka English). The bushes reach 80 cm in height and about 1 m in diameter. Flowers are more often purple in color, but can be white, pink or blue. Flowering begins at the end of spring. And the buena vista variety blooms twice - in spring and autumn. This is the most frost-resistant species, which you can not dig out during the winter, it is enough to insulate the bushes.
- Broadleaf (aka French). A hybrid of narrow-leaved and spikelet lavender is called lavender. Bushes with very beautiful inflorescences formed by flowers of burgundy, lilac, purple color. Lavandin varieties have a rich aroma, are used in the production of lavender oil, cooking.
Many hybrid varieties with large double flowers have been bred from narrow-leaved lavender.
Growing conditions in open areas
Growing lavender requires regular maintenance, including:
- weed removal;
- loosening the soil;
- systematic watering;
- fertilization;
- pruning;
- preparation for winter.
Lighting and watering
It is best to grow lavender in open, well-ventilated, sunny places. In the shade, lavender blooms will be short, sparse. Watering is carried out only in severe drought - excessive moisture for plants is harmful, it can lead to decay of the root system.
If the place is chosen correctly, the shrub can grow on the site for at least 25 years. Indoor lavender grown on balconies in containers loses its decorative appearance for 4–5 years after planting, since its growth and development are limited by the volume of the planting capacity.
Temperature
Lavender bushes tolerate summer heat normally. And low temperatures can destroy them, so plants need to be insulated in autumn. If thermophilic lavender cannot be grown due to the harsh climate, it is planted in flowerpots, and with the onset of cold weather they are placed in a cool place with a temperature of at least 10 ° C.
Fertilization
To grow lush bushes, in the spring, during the period of active growth, they need to be fed with fertilizers with a high nitrogen content. At the beginning of flowering, lavender is fed with complex mineral fertilizers with a high potassium content. Organic fertilizers bring in at the end of summer.
If the soil is mulched with compost, the plant may not be additionally fed throughout the season.
Introduction potash fertilizers will provide abundant and long-lasting lavender bloom.
Additional care
- mulching the soil on the site with decorative substrates or decayed foliage;
- ensuring normal access of oxygen to the root system - regular hilling of bushes, loosening the soil, removing weeds;
- timely pruning of shoots;
- preparation for winter.
Pruning
Pruning is necessary to grow a lush lavender bush. Shoots are not cut off much, shortened by a few centimeters. It is advisable to cut off the shoots only to the lignified part, otherwise the plant may die.
Pruning is carried out after wintering. Simultaneously with shaping the crown, it is necessary to remove broken, frozen, old branches (they need to be cut off by no more than a third of the length).
Preparing for winter
In snowy winters, the plant tolerates frost normally. But if little snow falls in winter, lavender can freeze and die. It will help to avoid this additional insulation bushes branches conifers... Plants cannot be insulated with ordinary foliage - they will rot.
Growing rules in containers
- Lavender planted in a container needs to be fed with any complex mineral fertilizer every 2 weeks.
- As soon as the need arises, transplant into a large container using the transshipment method (while preserving the earthen ball).
- For planting or transplanting, use a soil substrate consisting of sand or gravel (1 part), humus (1 part), turf (2 parts).
- Water only after the soil is completely dry.
- Plant the plant in light pots. Dark containers exposed to full sun become very hot. As a result, the root system overheats, and the plant, even such a heat-loving one, dies.
Lavender grown in pots and containers needs more feeding than bushes growing in open field.
Planting and transplanting
For good and quick adaptation, it is better to plant varieties adapted to climatic conditions the region in which they will grow. Landing is carried out in early spring when the frost has passed. Less often, the plant is planted in the fall - from the end of September until the onset of the first frost.
When planting, you need to follow several rules:
- form a bed with a height of about 40 cm;
- immediately before planting, place the bush in water for 1 hour;
- cut off on the eve of planting upper part bush, small, damaged shoots;
- plant at a distance of 80 to 120 cm, depending on the size of an adult shrub of the planting variety;
- make a hole about 30 cm deep so that the roots can freely fit in it.
The culture does not tolerate a transplant, therefore it is better to immediately allocate a permanent place for the plant in the garden or on the site. If you need to move the bushes to another place, they are transplanted very carefully, with big lump earth so as not to damage the root system.
Lavender bushes thrive in alkaline loamy and sandy loamy soil. The soil should be good for air and moisture. During planting, coarse compost is introduced into the soil. And acidic soil can be neutralized by adding wood ash or limestone.
Have ornamental shrub very powerful root system: the length of the roots can reach 2 m. Therefore, in areas with high level groundwater the plant may die as a result of root decay. In humid climates, lavender should be planted on high beds, and around the base of the bushes, it is advisable to lay out very coarse sand or fine gravel with a layer of 5 cm.
Heavy clay soils, poorly permeable to air and moisture, lavender will withstand only in a dry hot climate.
Lavender bushes grow large and tall when grown in regions with hot summers and mild winter frosts, and in harsher conditions, the plants are compact.
Bloom
The bushes bloom from April to the end of summer, and the peak of flowering occurs in the middle summer period... Collecting flowers annually helps to maintain the vitality, longevity and decorativeness of lavender shrubs.
Lavender flowers can be dried. It is better to harvest raw materials when the inflorescences are fully open - 1-2 weeks after the beginning of flowering. You need to dry flowers in a well-ventilated, shaded room (optimally in the attic).
Growing problems
Lavender, like other garden and indoor plants, is attacked by various diseases and pests. The most susceptible to disease are thickened plantings of shrubs that are not properly ventilated.
Gray rot is the most dangerous fungal disease that infects a plant when grown in high humidity conditions (rainy summers, excessive watering). Treatment consists of pruning and burning the affected shoots. Some growers are trying to get rid of gray rot by spraying the shrub with Bordeaux mixture or fungicides. But in this way it is not always possible to get rid of gray rot.
Reproduction
There are three ways to propagate lavender:
- layering;
- cuttings;
- seeds.
Layers
Reproduction by stem layering is considered the simplest and most affordable method. A strong and healthy bush shoot is bent down, laid horizontally, sprinkled with soil. A load is placed on top. After a few months, when the shoot takes root, it will be able to grow without the mother plant. It is necessary to separate the young shoot with a sharp knife, and the place of the cut must be treated with powdered coal.
Cuttings
The root system in plants grown from cuttings develops much more slowly than in bushes grown from seeds.
For reproduction, they take undamaged, healthy cuttings 8-10 cm long. They are cleaned of the lower leaves, planted in clean sand, perlite, or in a mixture of sand (2 parts) with wood chips (1 part). Cuttings are planted in common containers (the distance between the cuttings should be 6 cm) or in separate pots.
Planted cuttings should be covered with foil or glass, regularly ventilated and sprayed for 5-6 weeks. The rooting process can be accelerated by providing bottom heating of the soil. At the same soil and air temperature, the root system develops more slowly.
Propagation by cuttings and layering is best done in early spring or September.
Seeds
The seed method of propagation of lavender is the most difficult and long-lasting, it is used only in cases where it is not possible to propagate the plant by cuttings or layering. The main problem is that fresh seeds do not germinate well. Seed steeping and stratification procedures help to increase germination rates.
The seeds are soaked in warm water for 12 hours or in a solution of hydrogen peroxide (2 teaspoons per 200 ml of water) for 2-3 hours.
Stratification can be done in several ways.
- Place the seeds mixed with sand in the refrigerator for 1-2 months.
- In the fall, sow seeds in a pot, dig in on the site and cover, in March, move the container to the house.
- Keep the container with the sown seeds in the refrigerator until shoots appear.
Stratified seeds are sown in February or March. For planting, use a mixture of humus (2 parts) and coarse river sand(1 part). Before sowing the seeds, the soil is sieved, calcined in an oven at a temperature of 110–130 ° C, or watered with a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate. The treated soil is placed in a container with drainage holes and a drainage layer.
Seeds are scattered over the surface of the soil substrate, sprinkled with a layer of sand 3 mm thick, sprayed warm water, covered with glass or polyethylene. Crops are placed in a bright place with an air temperature of 15 to 22 ° C. Crops are periodically ventilated by lifting a film or glass.
Under normal storage conditions, the germination of lavender seeds does not decrease over the years.
Seedling care
Emerging seedlings need to be provided suitable conditions and care:
- additional lighting (so that the seedlings do not stretch out);
- temperature from 15 to 20 ° C;
- daily airing (glass or polyethylene is removed for a while so that the seedlings get used to the surrounding conditions);
- gentle, gentle watering;
- picking after the appearance of two leaves (seedlings are planted at a distance of 5–6 cm from each other);
- pinching seedlings when their height reaches 4–5 cm.
At the end of May, lavender is planted in a garden. Before planting, the roots are pruned a little. When planting, the root collar of the plant is deepened into the ground by 4–6 cm. After planting, lavender is watered abundantly.
When lavender is grown in regions with a hot, dry climate, seeds are sown in October directly into the ground to a depth of 3-4 cm. The ground surface is slightly compacted after planting. If the autumn is without rain, the crops are watered a little. When the first snow falls, they throw a small snowdrift over the area.
Lavender grown from seeds will bloom only after a year or two, when the bushes grow and get stronger. After three years, the plant acquires maximum decorative effect, so growing lavender as an annual is not justified. An exception is the one-year hybrid variety"Normandy", derived from multi-cut lavender. The plant is characterized by rapid growth and blooms in the first year, but it is also suitable for the role of a container perennial. Sometimes, subject to the sowing rules, the strongest seedlings of other varieties also bloom in the first year.
Despite the complexity, seed propagation has two advantages:
- in plants, the adaptation period passes easier and faster;
- if you collect seeds from grown plants and plant them, the new generation of lavender will be more resistant to unfavorable climates (this way, in the future, you can increase the resistance of any variety to low temperatures).
Purchase features
When growing lavender from seeds planting material acquire in autumn or early winter to complete stratification by spring.
Also for planting you can purchase finished plant in specialized flower shops, greenhouses, winter gardens... Purchased lavender can be propagated immediately by cuttings in order to preserve the variety in case of unsuccessful wintering. And if the plant takes root and overwinters, in the future it can be propagated by layering.
But not all purchased plants take root. The reason for this may be the wrong choice of the variety, inappropriate growing conditions, or poor-quality planting material, the care of which did not meet the standards. Therefore, if possible, it is better to take healthy shrub cuttings from neighbors or relatives.
Lavender is easy to care for. For the plant to develop normally, it is enough to plant it in a sunny place, regularly water and huddle, remove weeds. Therefore, many flower growers are happy to arrange real lavender fields pleasing the owners long flowering, and filling the garden with a delicate fragrance.
It's no secret that the world around is constantly changing, only flowers, especially indoor ones, remain unchanged. She captivated many with her tenderness blooming lavender in a pot, home care for which requires a lot of effort. After all, the homeland of this cute plant is the warm Mediterranean coast, where there are no severe frosts. And snow falls only on mountain peaks.
Today, there are up to 30 types of lavender. The most popular are:
Interestingly, the ancestor of potted lavender was a broadleaf variety that requires special care at home. In addition, the flower is appreciated not only for its lovely appearance, but also for its beneficial properties. 
It is widely used for manufacturing, cooking, and medicinal purposes. As a result, the flower fell in love with enterprising fans. indoor plants.
Secrets of growing lavender on the window
For a long time it was believed that it is simply impossible to grow lavender in a pot at home. Unlike other houseplants, it was previously thought that it is not adapted to such an existence. In fact, the flower takes root indoors if the temperature is carefully controlled and properly cared for.
To grow lavender in a pot, the following conditions must be met:
- The planting capacity should be about 2 liters.
- The diameter of the pot is at least 30 centimeters.
- Drainage from fine gravel or nutshells is laid at the bottom.
- The soil must be alkaline.
Even when these requirements are met, indoor lavender pleases its fans with flowers for a short time.
As soon as the root system of the plant senses the bottom of the pot, it must be transplanted. Otherwise, the lavender will stop growing, start to hurt, and eventually die.
In order for the roots of the flower to gain access to air, it is advisable to leave the hole in the bottom of the pot free. It is better to arrange the drainage carefully and accurately, and not in bulk. In addition, the plant needs feeding, which is carried out from time to time with special ones. As a result, a potted lavender will appear at home, to the delight of indoor plant lovers.
Basic rules for caring for a southern beauty
When lavender grows in a summer cottage, this is a familiar sight. Delicate and cute flowers of blue or purple have won the hearts of many gardeners. But they do not want to part with them for a long time, therefore they are grown in houses on windowsills. The flower amazes not only with its splendor, but also with a pleasant smell emanating from the buds. So proper care at home for lavender in a pot benefits not only the plant, but also many pleasant moments for its fans.
Growing a flower indoors is fundamentally different from caring for it in a flower garden. On the street, lavender successfully takes root under the shade of shrubs or trees. Even if it is watered only occasionally, it pleases gardeners for a long time with its flowering. Keeping a potted lavender requires a lot more effort and attention.
We provide comfortable conditions
Many call the blue mountain flowers a charming guest from the south. Therefore, for the successful growth of a plant, it is important to observe the following conditions:
- a lot of sunlight;
- loose sandy soil;
- infrequent watering.
If there is not enough sunlight in the house, the flower will starve and eventually die. On average, lavender needs bright light for 6 hours. You should not risk the life of an exotic flower for the sake of experiment.
When transplanting a plant into a larger pot, a suitable substrate is prepared, consisting of one part of humus, sand or gravel and two parts of sod land. First, the container with the plant is abundantly moistened so as not to damage the roots of the flower during transplantation. Together with the earthy clod, lavender is transferred to another container, where it continues to develop successfully.
To obtain a loose soil, regular soil is thoroughly mixed with sand and the drainage located at the bottom of the pot is covered.
With proper care for lavender, the main thing is not to overdo it with watering. 
A heat-loving plant does not need constant soil moisture. Otherwise, it will stretch upward, the leaves will first brighten, then wither, and "goodbye lovely lavender." In view of this, it is advisable to water the plant no more often than once every 7 days. In a period of high humidity, the gap between waterings can be increased up to 10 days. The best option- water when the top layer of the earth is completely dry.
In winter, the bush is pruned and sent to a cool room. Slices are made several catch higher than the place where the leaves begin to grow. Watering is carried out once every 14 days. 
In order for lavender to flourish on the windowsill for a long time, it needs to be fed regularly at least every 2 weeks. 
Any fertilizer for indoor plants will do.
Indoor plant lovers have noticed that lavender grows best in light-colored pots.
Dark-colored containers attract the heat of the sun, therefore they quickly heat up, which adversely affects the roots of the plant. Such, it would seem, is a trifle, and the life of a gentle southern flower depends on it.
Video about growing lavender in a pot